Combined can opener and sanitary sealer



C. A. LOWE.

COMBINED CAN OPENER AND SANITARY SEALER. APPLICATION FILED MAR.26. 1920.

1,374,01 9 Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

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CHARLES A. LOWE, or DENVER, cononano'.

COMBINED CAN OPENER AND SANITARY SEALER.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 26, 1920. Serial No. 369,023.

The object is to provide a simple device for attachment to cans of perishable liquid, such, for instance, as condensed or evaporated milk which will puncture the top when desired and also serve to seal the opening air-tight, when desired.

A further object is to provide a device which can be. easily cleaned and sterilized by removing it from the can and dropping it in hot water or other sterilizingliquid.

With these objects in view, my invention consists in a band constructed and adapted to be clamped tight around a can adjacent to the flange of either end, and a .lever hinged thereto and provided with spurs which puncture the end of the can at two points, namely to form an outlet for the liquid and a vent for the inlet of air, and means for sealing these holes air-tight after the can has been only partially emptied.

It consists also in other features of construction that will be hereinafter mentioned.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view;

Fig. 2 is a side view partly in vertical section;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the rim.

A, is a band, preferably of sheet-metal, which. is fitted to, and adapted to embrace, the can 1 close to the flange 2 of the head 3 of the can. This band may be secured in place in any approved manner, as for instance by the screw 4i and thumb-nut 5, which affords a simple mode of fastening.

' An arm 6. is hinged at one end by the pin 7 to the upstanding hinge 8 forming an extension of the upper edge of the band, and projecting over the edge of the head of-the can, and this hinge 8 with the two hooks 9 tends to cooperate with the fastening device 4i-5, to support the band in position contiguous to the flange 2 of the head of the can. The arm 6 reaches diametrically across I the head of the can from the hinge as a fulcrum, and is preferably bent inwardly some- What through the center to conform to the easily and quic Patented Apr. a, 1192i.

shape of the head of the can, and is provided with the side flanges 10, which gives strength and rigidity to the arm.

The arm carries two sharp pointed conical spurs 11 and 12 in positionto penetrate the can, head and form the two holes 13 and 14, the hole 13 for pouring out the liquid, and 14 to serve as an air-vent. .These spurs are surrounded by a soft packing 15 of rubher or other compressible material adapted to be held tight-around the holes when the canis to be closed air-tight, and the arm is in its normal position, as shown in the drawings.

To hold the arm in this position, it is'proa vided with aspring tongue 16, which springs over the inner edge of the flange 2 of the head, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, in this way I holding the arm firmly in place and sealing the canair-tight, in order to. exclude extraneous material and prevent the contents from spilling or souring.

The tongue 16 may be conveniently struck out from the material forming the slot 17 in the end ofthe arm.

To afi'ord clearance for the tongue 16, the band A is slightly cut away as at 18.

The arm thus formed and fulcrumed immediately opposite the edge of the head of the can has a powerful leverage, and the .flange ofthe can head constitutes a shoulder which prevents the band from moving endwise when the pressure on the lever in penetrating the head might otherwise tend to dislocate'it, or pull it 0E, so that there is cotiperation between the band, flange and arm both in the puncturing oft'he head and in sealing the holes when formed. 7

Thus I have kiprovided a device which is not only forms an effectual can-opener for.

any kind of liquid, providing both, a liquid y applied to a canof liquid;

outlet and an air inlet, but also a means for effectively sealing the opening thus formed when the contents is not being poured, :so that without regard to any position in which the can may be placed the contents cannot leak or spill and the coritents of the can is thus" efiectively preserved in its original con-- dition, without permittingof deterioration or'change in consistency o quality, and the openings are also kept in a sanitary con:

dition,

I claim: 1. The combination with a can having the usual flanged top secured thereon, of a band clamped. around the can adjacent to the flange of the top, so that the flange prevents the band from being pulled ofi the can, and an arm fulcrumed at one end upon the band and extending diagonally across the can head, and carrying means for puncturing the can head, and means for fastening the free end of the arm when the latter is in its normal position.

2. The combination with a can of a band 4 surrounding and embracing the latter, and

means for holding the band just inside the flange of the can head, said means including a hinge and hooks opposite the latter, an

' arm connected at, one end to the hinge, said arm curved inwardly and flanged at its edges to give it rigidity, and carrying spurs adapted to puncture the end of the can, said spurs surrounded with compressible material to seal the openings formed bythe spurs when the arm is in its fastened position, andmeans for fastening said arm.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

"CHARLES A. LOWE. 

